Let's Make a Marshmallow Shooter

My daughter and her husband are required by the state to take classes to maintain their professional licenses.  It is called CE or continuing education.  It is very important for them to stay up to date on the latest information to keep patients safe.  Each class is different.  Some require many days of education and others require a day or two during the weekend.  Last weekend our daughter had to go to Milwaukee for a class so we watched her two sons Jack and Sam.  The boys usually ask to do a project with papa.  I have written about previous projects, but the workshop is cold and hard to work in during the winter.  They came up with an indoor project.  They made Marshmallow Shooters.

Before picking up the boys, we stopped and bought some supplies for the project.  We needed some 1/2 inch PVC plastic tubing and T's, elbows and caps to fit the tubing.

Given the measurements, the tubing had to be marked to the right lengths to prepare for cutting it.

Next step is cutting the lengths with the special cutting tool.

 After cutting, the shooter is ready to be assembled.

And there it is, a Marshmallow Shooter.  

Now, will it work.  A mini marshmallow is placed in the long tube,
and then you blow as hard as you can.

The soft marshmallows didn't fly too far, and they bounce off anything they hit and aren't harmful. 

Jack was wearing as little as possible.  We are freezing with socks and sweaters on, and Jack is running around shirtless and barefooted.  I guess the key to keeping warm in Wisconsin's winter weather is to keep moving, which he does.

The entertainment only lasted a short time and then it was back to electronics.  At least we made an attempt to do something fun.  However, the older kid in my house (AKA husband) is enjoying it.  He found out the marshmallows go further if you let them dry out a bit.  So now he scares the squirrels off the bird feeders and if he misses, which is most of the time,  it provides them with a special marshmallow treat. 

This Marshmallow Shooter is almost as much fun as his Potato Shooter. 

It doesn't take much to entertain some people.

2016 Groundhog Day Snowstorm named Bucky

I think most of our lives are controlled by the media especially television reports.  Take politics for example, they are pretty much in charge of who gets facetime and what stories we see.  The same is true for the weather.  A week ago we had 8.5 inches of snow.  There was snow in the forecast, and we ended up with 8.5 inches.  Everyone got out, shoveled and were on their way.  It was slippery for a while but no one panicked.  Yesterday was a different story.  For many days in advance the weather people were warning of a huge snowstorm on the horizon.  They were talking about this storm when it was just a glimmer in the Pacific Ocean.  Days went by and the storm was eminent.  Schools were closed and people were warned to stay off the roads.  The storm was even named Bucky.  In defense, the snow was very heavy and sticky which made driving hazardous.  We had half the amount we had a week earlier.  The most I saw in the area was seven inches.  We live in Wisconsin for heavens sake.  We can take a little snow and cold.  I have to say this is easy for me to say.  I never left the house and I am glad people took this seriously, and remained safe.

I did get some pretty photos.  The heaviness of the snow made it stick to the trees, branches and a lot of other things.

Birdfeeder covered with snow.

 

This little bird reminded me of an incident.  Yesterday I was watching the snow and heard a clunk.  I looked out the window and saw a small bird had hit the window.  He was struggling to get to his feet.  He stuck his wings out to balance and suddenly did a face plant into the snow.  I thought he was dead.  My husband said that something would feast on it and that was the balance of nature.  I was so sad as I saw blood coming out of it's mouth.

Blood left behind in the snow.

I kept checking to see if he stopped breathing.  Then slowly he started coming around.  He sat up and started to move his beak open and shut.  After a short time, he flew off and started to eat.  If he doesn't make it now, I won't know it.  It looked like he was going to be alright.